Today, Honorable President Serdar Berdimuhamedov arrived in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, on a four-day working visit to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and celebrations dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory.
At the Tianjin International Airport, the Head of State was warmly welcomed by Chinese officials and members of the Turkmen delegation.
In the evening, Honorable President will attend a dinner hosted by the President of the People’s Republic of China and his family in honor of the heads of delegations participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Tomorrow, a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO member states and a high-level meeting in the “SCO+” format will be held at the “Meizian” Exhibition and Conference Center.
It should be noted that this organization, which became the Shanghai Cooperation Organization with the expansion of its structure in 2001, traces its history back to the “Shanghai Five” established in 1996. Its member states (India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus) currently occupy 65 percent of the Eurasian continent, and almost half of the Earth’s population lives in this vast expanse. All SCO countries are close neighbors and friends, long-standing partners of Turkmenistan. Accordingly, although it is not a full member, Turkmenistan regularly participates in the summits of this organization. Our Heroic Comrade and Honorable President have participated in its high-level meetings as guests of honor in different years, putting forward important initiatives of regional and continental significance.
This year, China chairs the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and it is held under the slogan “Promoting the Shanghai Spirit: SCO in Action”. The summit, which is being held for the 5th time in the country under the sky under the auspices of this organization, is expected to be attended by heads of state and government of more than 20 countries, as well as heads of 10 international organizations.